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Monday, July 1, 2013

Just Read - Fight by Teagle

I originally heard about Nowbrow Press from some tweets. A
quick visit to their site gave me quite a few choices of books to be my first
Nobrow Press book, so many choices that I originally didn’t order anything. Then
about a month or two later, I saw Nobrow books solicited in the Previews
catalog from Diamond. I decided I better order some before I miss out. I placed
an order for Fight 2! and Nobrow 7. Eventually the books
showed up but being the completest, I could not read Fight 2! until I had Fight!.
This past May, at the Phoenix Comicon, I found a copy of Fight! at the AdHouse
booth.

Fight! And Fight 2! are both the creations of
Jack Teagle. What originally drew me to these books was the simple but
emotional drawing of the characters on the covers. It was a plus that they also
appeared to be about wrestling. When I crack the spin of these books I found
something much more than just a silly wrestling book with fights. I found a
compassionate story about what it might feel like to be viewed as a bad guy,
even though you are good at heart.

The stories were quite a bit more emotional that I expected.
I was hoping for some fist flying actions, which I received, but this was
wrapped inside a story of misplacement based on appearance. In the stories, we
follow Diablo the son of a great championship wrestler who just happens to be
red and look like the devil. And due to these looks, he will never be given the
shot at being a great champion like his father.

Teagle’s storytelling does not waste your time. Every panel has
a purpose and helps to advance the story. Even when it feels like you are going
sideways there is a reason and a move forward. And his art, while it looks
deceptively simple, really hits the right spots. When there is a need to be
soft and emotional Teagle’s art delivers. When there is a need for rugged and
rough, his art also delivers. The best of both worlds. I mean you will feel
ever punch, pull and kick delivered during the Diable vs. The Eyeball Twins
fight scenes in Fight 2!

preview pages from Fight!

I’m glad I waited until I found a copy of Fight!
before reading Fight 2!, if there is one draw back to these books is that they
really should have been one book. If you are an independent comic fan and have
ever watched professional wrestling you will enjoy these books.

-Denny Riccelli
creates comics under the pen name ‘dennmann’ he currentlypublishes the webcomic Cousin Harold and some
mini-comics now and then, including Jenny Spookawski Ghost Girl. He lives in
Peoria, Arizona with his wife and 2 kids.